By Dr. Ahmad Al Khalidi
While the Jannah (Paradise) dwellers will be enjoying the blessings of Allah; they will recline on thrones encrusted with gold and precious stones facing each other, and round about them perpetual boys, who will serve them with glasses and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains:
Allah blessed them with his forgiveness and saved them from Fire torture that penetrates into the pores of body.
And with fruits, any that they may select, And the flesh of fowls, any that(they may desire. And there will be Houris (fair ones with wide, lovely eyes), Like unto pearls well-guarded. (Al-Waqi`ah 56:20-23)
By Allah’s Mercy
The people of the Paradise will talk together and remember their previous days in this world and the reason behind the peace, pleasure, bounty and bliss endowed upon them in Paradise. They will realize the secret behind their pleasure in the Garden; it is due to their fear of Allah and being watchful and cautious of the Judgment Day in this world.
They lived in fear of meeting their Lord; they lived afraid of His punishment; they lived like that while they were living among their household in peace. Then Allah will bless them and protect them from the Hell torture that pierces body pores.
Allah (Exalted be He) will protect them from such torture as a blessing from Him as He knows their fear and piety. Allah will let them into the Garden only by His mercy; and their work is just a witness on their belief and hope in Allah’s pleasure and Garden.
Thankful to Allah
The people of the Paradise will sit together face to face and ask one another about the great bliss they enjoy and about its reason:
They will be on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), Reclining on them, facing each other. (Al-Waqi`ah 56:15-16)
They will advance to each other, engaging in mutual enquiry. (At-Tur 52:25)
They will say they have been, in this world, among their household afraid of Allah and of His torture and punishment on the Judgment Day:
They will say: “Aforetime, we were not without fear for the sake of our people”. (At-Tur 52:26)
So, Allah blessed them with his forgiveness and saved them from Fire torture that penetrates into the pores of body:
But Allah has been good to us, and has delivered us from the Penalty of the Scorching Wind. (At-Tur 52:27)
They have been, in this world, asking and beseeching Allah to refuge them from fire and let them in the Garden for He is the most Beneficent and the most Merciful to His believing slaves.
Happiness & Pleasure
People of piety and believers will be happy. Al-Sa`di (2000) says that the people of the Garden used to call unto Allah to protect them from the torture of ‘Samoom’ (very hot torture) and get them to bliss, this supplication includes the call of worship and the call of need that is to say they used to appeal to Allah with all kinds of worship and call Him at all times; so out of His mercy and promise keeping to them, He will bless them with His pleasure and Garden, and will save them from His wrath and Fire.
Truly, we used to call unto Him from of old: truly it is He, the Beneficent, the Merciful! (At-Tur 52:27)
In view of that, Muslims have to be always obedient to Allah and afraid of His anger; they should also supplicate to Allah to reward them with Paradise. They, besides, have to appeal for the Mercy of Allah (Exalted be He) in this world and also in the Next world besides their good deeds.
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Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Al khalidi is Researcher and translator, E L teacher and lecturer, an old member in the presentation to Islam committee.